In a Heartbeat
by NotMarge
Summary: Jackson Avery misses his wife.


I do not own Grey's Anatomy.

In a Heartbeat

* * *

Jackson Avery stared at his green-eyed reflection in the hanging bathroom mirror as he brushed his teeth clean that night.

It all was so simple. A tiny device implanted in the auditory passage would give the young girl the gift of hearing. Minimal pain, minimal risk. A perfect opportunity for her.

And the parents had said no.

It wasn't even a question of faith. It was merely a question of sanity.

Every parent with a thinking mind wants the best for their children. Or so he thought.

He did know that if it was his decision, his _child_, he would get that child the surgery. In a heartbeat. No doubt about it.

As a doctor who had performed the procedure flawlessly numerous times, he knew it was an excellent choice for a child who surely would give anything to only hear. Her mother laugh, her father speak.

It seemed like a logical choice, an obvious decision.

How had everything gotten so blown out of proportion?

April, his beautiful, passionate, opinionated, red haired wife, had flown right off the handle. Again.

Bringing _faith_ into the argument.

Jackson spit out his minty toothpaste and placed his toothbrush in its slot next to the empty one where hers usually resided.

A ghost of a smile flitted across his face at the time she had almost accidentally spit tooth paste into his hair while he was spitting into the sink. Would have succeeded too if she weren't over a foot shorter than him.

It wasn't that he thought her faith was stupid, just irrelevant to him. He didn't deny anyone their beliefs. People could believe what ever they chose to believe. He had never needed beliefs. He had medicine. He had his hands. He had his knowledge, his techniques, his skills, constantly being adding to and challenged and strengthened.

But what kind of people would choose to believe in a version of a deity that would deny their children the full use of their faculties? And completely paid for by insurance to boot?

He went into the bedroom to change clothes. Dropped them on the floor next to the bed. She would have reprimanded him for that. She was so particular about those kind of things. But she wasn't here to do that, now was she?

Her anger. Oh, she had been so angry. Why?

_Deafness as a blessing._

It was truly one of the most ridiculous statements he had ever heard in his life. Which, considering the people he worked with, was saying something.

No straight thinking person would ever consider deafness a _blessing_.

"No, thanks, man. I'll hear some other time. Not really my thing."

No. People accepted deafness when they had to. It was not a blessing from some senselessly vindictive God.

Although he might have embraced it only for the time it took to not hear his seemingly intelligent wife, _who was a medical doctor mind you_, say something so clearly idiotic.

He stared out the window for a moment, gazing into the darkness beyond the glass. Refusing himself for the thousandth time since she had left to go into the kitchen for a late night drink. In his presently gloomy state of mind, he would imbibe way too much and he didn't need a aching hangover brutalizing him during work tomorrow.

He resolutely stayed where he was. And thought of her.

Yes, it was true. He did not share her faith, her beliefs. And since they were individuals, he was cool with that. Since they were not bringing children into the world yet, he was cool with that.

He didn't see why everything had to be worked out for every second, every thought, every action between them forever. That was what the hospital was for. Plans, deadlines, meetings, strategies, surgeries.

That was work.

This was his life.

His life that he wanted to share with her. With April. With his wife. That's why he had spontaneously wreaked her wedding and eloped with her. To be _with _her.

And she had wailed and raged and pushed and wouldn't stop. Til he had hurt her badly with his words.

He didn't want to hurt her. He never wanted to hurt her. He wanted to love her. Live with her. Work with her. Enjoy her company together alone after a challenging day at the hospital.

The rest would come with time, wouldn't it?

He turned off the lights and laid down on his side of the bed. He rolled over and reached his hand out to the spot where her body would usually rest.

It was empty. She wasn't there.

Sometimes their hospital schedules conflicted and he went to bed alone out of necessity.

But this was different. She was _supposed_ to be here. And she wasn't.

Jackson Avery eventually fell asleep alone in the dark, missing her. His wife. April.

* * *

**Yes, I am a Christian. And if my kid were deaf and it could be fixed, I'd do it in a heartbeat.**

**And I understand they had to fight about something considering their differences in faith, but why make Christians seem like a nutcases who don't want the best for their children?**

**So I wrote this piece so I wouldn't have to be angry at this scene anymore.**

**Everyone appreciates feedback. Leave a review if you like.**

**In response to my guest reviewer, I appreciate the information and am glad that a program and culture like that is out there. I would like everyone to read this review for the fantastic information contained within. Marvelous isn't it? :)**

**Thanks also to nuotvang, middiegurl08, shiptomylou, and AppleSa for taking time to review this short piece. :)**

**Thanks to pretendtolikeyourtasteinmusic and Bellinhabr for adding your support to this story. **

**And if you disagree with my views, you are more than welcome to do so.**


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